Kicking It Authors:Faith Hunter,
Kalayna Price, Rachel Caine, Chloe Neill, Rob Thurman, Shannon K. Butcher, Lucienne Diver, Christina Henry
,
Chris Marie Green Genre: Urban Fantasy Anthology Release Date: December 3, 2013 Paperback: 368 Publisher: Roc Trade Book Summary:New York Times
bestselling author Rachel Caine has modern-day potions witches Holly and
Andrew facing off against a firebrand politician who wears literally
killer boots in a Texas-sized rodeo of trouble.
Boot-loving
Cadogan vampire Lindsey must team up with off-again, on-again vampire
partner Luc when a woman from her past is targeted by supernaturals in
New York Times bestselling author Chloe Neill’s all-new adventure.
And
New York Times bestselling author Rob Thurman features Trixa Iktomi
from her Trickster series dealing with magical vengeance and magical
footwear.
Taking kick-ass urban fantasy literally, USA Today
bestselling authors Kalayna Price and Faith Hunter bring together the
best of the genre to once again prove when you’re fighting supernatural
forces, it helps to keep your feet on the ground. Interview:
1. What footwear is your character wearing in Kicking It? Chris Marie Green: Very hip boots that seem to be made of vines…and that
won’t come off. Oh, and she doesn’t remember where she got them. She also
can’t remember her own identity! Lucienne Diver: My character is wearing silver stiletto boots with Plexiglas heels.
They are her idea the way the Wicked Witch of the West would embrace dancing
in the rain with her flying monkeys.
2. How many pairs of boots do you currently own?
Chris Marie Green: Four pairs: two very comfortable Uggs, one fairly fashionable
knee-high brown pair with chunky heels, one well-adored cowboy pair. Lucienne Diver: I own at least four pairs—black, black thigh-highs, red lace ups
and brown suede. I’d know exactly, but since moving to Florida I don’t have as
many chances to wear my boots as I’d like!
3. What color is your favorite pair of boots? Chris Marie Green: Light brown suede (the cowboy boots). Lucienne Diver: Black. My favorite pair would have to be the thigh highs. I think
my husband would agree.
4. What type of boots do you prefer? Cowboy boots? Riding boots? Biker-
boots? Over-the-knee dominatrix boots? Do share!
Chris Marie Green: I love, love, love my cowboy boots. I wear them constantly.
The poor things are worn out but I Can’t. Let. Go. I can’t! When they finally fall
apart, I will cry. Lucienne Diver: Over the knee dominatrix boots. Come on, admit it, anyone
shocked?
5. What’s your most recent boot purchase? Why that pair? Chris Marie Green: One of the Uggs. They are the most comfortable things, even
though they’re kind of considered passé, I guess. But I say comfort never goes
out of style! Lucienne Diver: I most recently bought ankle boots because I was going to an
ice bar in Orlando with friends and all I’d brought with me were open toed shoes.
Brrr!
6. Why did you choose those boots for the story? Chris Marie Green: I can’t give too much away because the boots are a part of
the story’s mystery, but let’s just say I needed something with a living component
to them… Also, I thought they would look super cool. Lucienne Diver: When you’re going Fembot meets alien queen, what else is a gal
to wear?
Real Mermaids Don't Need High Heels Author: Helene Boudreau Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Release: February 1, 2013
Paperback: 240 pages Publisher: Sourcebooks Buy this book:Amazon
Book Summary:
The only thing that terrifies Jade more than the ocean is dancing at
the Fall Formal. Because Jade has two left feet—er, flippers. Who knew
being a high school freshman is even more awkward than being a plus-size
aqua-phobic mer-girl? At least her only drama is of the human
variety...
Or not.The Mermish Council has just declared
that all land-dwelling mers but return to the ocean. Pronto. But there's
no way Jade is going to let her mom, or Luke, her...boyfriend?
mer-guy-friend?, disappear into the deep, dark ocean. Again. After all, a
girl's got to have a date to her first dance.
If Jade can stop mer-mageddon, finding a plus-size dress that doesn't look like a shower curtain should be a piece of cake.
Interview with Author
Helene Boudreau
Welcome to Rex Robot Reviews! Can you tell us a little bit about REAL MERMAIDS DON'T NEED HIGH HEELS?
Dance like nobody’s watching. Oh, geesh. Is anyone watching?
In this third installment of the Real Mermaids series, Jade is really ready for life to return to normal. But ninth grade is
like being a goldfish in a shark tank and the upcoming Fall Folly Formal means Jade must get over her fear of awkward
dancing. Plus there is unrest in the ocean, and the whole mer-world is on the brink of civil war.
Can Jade find a plus-sized dress that doesn’t look like a shower curtain, keep her mer-ness a secret, finally figure out if
she and Luke are officially dating, and help pull off the biggest political coup in mer history?
With so much at stake, ‘awkward dancing’ is rapidly becoming the least of Jade’s worries.
What songs would Jade want to hear at her high school dance?
I’m thinking something fun and upbeat. Here are a few songs I love bopping along to:
What was the most challenging part of writing REAL MERMAIDS DON'T NEED HIGH HEELS?
The big thing with any writing project is staying true to your characters and maintaining consistency in themes,
settings, and characteristics between scenes. Since this is the third book in a series, I needed to keep copious notes on
the first two books to make sure Jade’s character was consistent while still keeping things fresh and new. I’m a big fan
of spreadsheets for this very reason!
What is your favorite scene from REAL MERMAIDS DON'T NEED HIGH HEELS?
There’s a scene where Jade’s mer-friend Serena has to get ready for an Underwater Hockey practice but she’s never
worn a bathing suit before. There’s a bit of a, um, wardrobe malfunction involved.
Do you use any famous people to help inspire the looks or characteristics of your characters?
I’ve often wondered who I would cast in a book-to-movie adaptation if that were ever to be so that’s kind of a similar
question, I guess…lessee…
Jade: This is a toughie…Chloe Moretz was great in ‘Kick Ass’ and after seeing this interview with Hailee
Steinfeld, I think she’d be awesome too, but Jade’s character would need someone with a bit of a, um, sturdier
frame.
Her charmingly nerdy father:Kevin James (Mall Cop)
Her crush, Luke: ?? Totally stumped on this one.
Her BFF, Cori: An older version of Willow Smith, maybe? (Whip My Hair)
Thanks for stopping by! Any other releases or works in progress that you're excited about?
This year is a busy one for me with the release of this book plus the fourth book in the Real Mermaids series called
REAL MERMAIDS DON’T SELL SEA SHELLS coming out in the fall. I also have a picture book called I DARE YOU NOT TOYAWN coming out in March, and an adaptation of Longfellow’s poem EVANGELINE for Young Readers coming out in
April.
*US & Canada Residents ONLY*ONE winner will be chosen to receive a copy of REAL MERMAIDS DON'T NEED HIGH HEELS, provided directly from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
In this provocative cautionary tale for teens, the sequel to Awaken,
seventeen-year-old Maddie’s rebellion against the digital-only life
grows dangerous. Maddie is in Los Angeles, trying to stay out of
trouble. But one night, a seemingly small act of defiance lands her in
the place she fears the most: a detention center. Here, patients are
reprogrammed to accept a digital existence. Maddie is now fighting for
her mind, her soul, and her very life.
Hi, Mr. Freeman! Welcome to Rex Robot Reviews! Can you tell us a little bit about theinspiration behind the Digital School?
I designed DS because I thought it was a safe alternative to face-to-face schools. More and more parents and students were signing up for virtual schools, so there was obviously a need for it. Then, after M28, people looked at my program as the answer to our problems. I never imagined it would become a law, but every parent wants their child to be safe.
Can you tell our readers three fun facts about yourselfthat nobody knows?
I can’t swim, I actually prefer being face-to-face with people, and I have an old vinyl record collection that I can’t part with.
What are five songs on your favorite playlist?
Stoned Me—Van Morrison
Hotel California—The Eagles
Stand By Me—Ben E.King
A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall—Bob Dylan
Any classical music
If your life was made into a movie, who would you wantto be cast as you?
Kurt Vonnegut, Arthur C. Clark, and Michael Crichton
What advice would you give to the youth of today?
Respect one another. Treat people the way you would want to be treated.
Thanks for stopping by! Anything else you would like toshare with our readers?I know many of you look at me as an antagonist. But I ask you: what is so bad about trying to make the world a better place?
Blog Tour Giveaway! Prize: One copy of AWAKEN One Advanced Reader Copy of MIDDLE GROUND One copy of FIRST COMES LOVE Rules: USA Residents Only To Enter: Leave a comment with your e-mail address!
Iris Anderson and her
father have finally come to an understanding. Iris is allowed to help
out at her Pop's detective agency as long as she follows his rules and
learns from his technique. But when Iris uncovers details about her
mother's supposed suicide, suddenly Iris is thrown headfirst into her
most intense and personal case yet.
About the Author:
Kathryn Miller Haines is an
actor, mystery writer, and award-winning playwright. She grew up in San
Antonio, Texas, and received her BA in English and Theatre from Trinity
University in San Antonio and her MFA in English from the University of
Pittsburgh. She's a member of the Mary Roberts Rinehart Chapter of
Sisters in Crime and has been a board member of the New York chapter of
Mystery Writers of America.
Author Interview!
Hi, Kathryn! Welcome to Rex Robot Reviews! Can you tell us a little bit about the
inspiration behind THE GIRL IS TROUBLE?
The first book, The Girl is Murder, was about Iris and her Pop coming to terms
with each other. The Girl is Trouble is about her coming to terms with her mother,
who she believes has committed suicide. I was originally going to cover that
whole plot in the first book, but we realized it was too big and really deserved a
book of its own. One of the underlying themes is the idea of the “Good German.”
While it sounds crazy to our modern ears that you could damn an entire country
for part of their populations behavior, that’s precisely what was going on during
World War II (and, one could argue, continues today with the way we portray
Muslim nations). I really wanted to explore the nature of prejudice and how you
come to terms with it when you are part of the group being discriminated against.
Does THE GIRL IS TROUBLE have a soundtrack? Could you tell us some of
the songs?
Iris was introduced to swing music in The Girl is Murder, so that definitely
pervades The Girl is Trouble – performers like Cab Calloway, Tommy Dorsey,
Duke Ellington.
What was the most challenging part of your writing process?
The first draft. That’s always the hardest part for me. Once I get that first, messy,
awful draft down, the real fun begins. I love revising.
What is your favorite scene from THE GIRL IS TROUBLE?
I think at the end when Pearl does A VERY BRAVE THING to protect someone
who did something very bad. It just says a lot about who Pearl is. I’m also very
fond of Iris’s conversation with her Uncle when she finds out the truth about her
mother.
Thanks for stopping by! Are there any other releases or works in progress that
you're excited about?
I’m working on a book about The White Rose, a group of college students who
tried to stand up to the Nazis. I’m also working on a contemporary book about a
group of high school students who are bullied and end up banding together with
terrible consequences.
Enslaved in Shadows by Tigris Eden Series: Shadow Unit, #1 Genre: Paranormal Romance Release: June 16, 2012 Buy the Book:Amazon
Book Summary:
Agent Stone of the Shadow Unit's job is simple, most days. Work in the Shadows, police his own Kind. When
an unwanted assignment turns out to be his darkest fantasy from the
past, Draven can't help but be conflicted by the memories of the past
and his responsibilities in the future. But his decision has been made.
Jes can't let the tall dark agent back into her life. How
can she trust any man after what she's endured. Years of abuse have
broken her down and she doesn't have room for more. The man she turns to
for help hasn't abused her physically but he's tormented her
emotionally. A past betrayal left her scarred, but also brought her
life. Can she accept him into her heart and trust him again?
One will survive and adapt, the other will realize hearts can be mended even if it’s a bit too late.
Author Interview: Tigris Eden!
Can you please tell our readers a little bit about your book Enslaved in Shadows?
It's about a werewolf and a human having one really hot one night stand and then crossing paths five years later.
Enslaved in Shadows looks very sexy, can you tell us a little bit about the main man, Draven, in the book and what makes him swoon worthy?
Draven can at times come off as harsh or uncaring, but really he's reasonable. He makes decision based on what he feels is right and for the greater good. Not to mention he has impeccable and incredibly sexy bed side manor lol and he's a wolf what more can a gal say?
Have you used any famous people for inspiration in regards to your characters?
Yes, but only because I couldn't find them in real life, so I got the closet thing. They are actually all posted under my facebook fan page in an album complete with dossiers.
What do you think is an integral part to a good romance?
Communication and a lot of steamy Smex it also helps if he's got a great sense of humor and can make you laugh
What do YOU thinks makes a man sexy as hell?
Sense of humor at least 6'4 ooh and tats dark hair nice eyes and strong hands. I have a thing for men's hands and their backs lol
Where do you get your inspiration for your characters?
Depends. A lot of Royce is a reflection of LL's sense of humor and Draven is the equivalent to LL's alpha streak. Depends on the day and of course, from people watching, I love watching people! And sometimes my brain just thinks up weird scenarios lol
What are some of your favorite authors?
Larissa Ione, Lara Adrian, Shayla Black, Lora Leigh, I have a ton way too many lol
What would you like your readers to understand about your novels?Is there something that you would like to them to feel, or experience with your book?
Something different and unique and to understand sometimes you got to get in to the creepy and unknown to get the gist of the story. Some things are just how they should be. Oh and my PNR tilts a little to the extreme, lol I joked with Bells { @bellie7 } the other day and told her its PHR para horror romance but that's just me being silly lol. But, there are some key scenes that are dark I would say extreme but not horrific, but then I'm a total blood and guts kind of gal
Part of your proceeds, from the sale of Enslaved in Shadows are going to support the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, can you tell us about this charity and why you decided to donate part of your sales?
NCADV is a charity that I picked because of what it stands for and because it seeks to educate about DV. Domestic Violence is a very real and dangerous reality. There are women and men, as well as children who are targeted everyday. It's something that hits home for me, no pun intended there swear!
I personally know what it's like and I wish I would have known about something like this when I was younger. And of course Jes the heroine from the book is trying to deal with the after effects of abuse.
So that's my main reason, not just because of my characters situation but because it was real for me at one time.
Find Tigris's book on Amazon.com! 50% of all proceeds go to National Coalition Against Domestic Violence!
Giveaway!
Leave a comment with your name and e-mail address for the opportunity to win an Ebook copy of Enslaved in Shadows!
Lies Beneath By Anne Greenwood Brown Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Release: June 12, 2012 Reading level: Ages 12 and up Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers Buy this Book:Amazon
Book Summary:
Calder White lives in
the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of
murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans,
killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan
targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their
mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to
his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to
lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy
enough—especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistable
good looks and charm on ususpecting girls. Only this time Calder screws
everything up: he falls for Lily—just as Lily starts to suspect that
there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined.
And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.
Author Anne Greenwood Brown's
Top Ten List!
Top Ten Favorite Childhood Books
These are the Top Ten Children’s Books I loved so much I either wrote all over them with
crayon or read so hard all the pages fell out:
1. Miss Twiggley’s Tree by Dorothea Warren Fox
2. The Time Garden by Edward Eager
3. Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne
4. Corgiville Fair by Tasha Tudor
5. Nancy Drew Mysteries by Caroline Keene
6. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
7. Eloise by Kay Thompson
8. Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
9. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
10. Anything by Judy Blume
Kate Winters has won immortality. But if she wants a life with Henry in the Underworld, she'll have to fight for it.
Becoming
immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to
be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And
despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's
becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's
coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill
him: the King of the Titans. As the other gods prepare for a war that
could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of
Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the
Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person whom she would
really rather not meet. Henry's first wife, Persephone.
Q&A With Aimée Carter
How familiar were you with Greek myths and folklore before writing the
Goddess Test series?Was a lot of research required?
I first fell in love with Greek mythology when I was a kid learning how to read,
and my infatuation only grew from there. I’ve studied various kinds of mythology
for years, sometimes for class and always for fun, but even then I put a great deal
of research into the Goddess Test series. Mostly as a refresher to make sure I was
getting my facts right, but I also researched the various myths looking for ways to tie
the plots and characters together in unexpected ways.
Was Goddess Interrupted any easier or harder to write than the first book in
the series, The Goddess Test?
It was both easier and harder, in a strange way. I rewrote The Goddess Test
multiple times, and I’ve never edited a book more heavily in my life. Goddess
Interrupted did require some editing, of course, but it was much easier.
However, the pressure to deliver a sequel worthy of the series made the writing
process for Goddess Interrupted more difficult than I’d anticipated. There’s
something called the “sophomore slump”, where sequels or second books generally
don’t quite match up to the second, and I wanted to avoid that at all cost. So that
added a lot of stress, but in the end, I was very happy with the results.
You give the gods and goddesses in the series “ordinary names” – Zeus is
named Walter, Aphrodite goes by Ava, Hermes is named James. Why did you
do that and do the more contemporary names have any significance?
This was something I went back and forth on multiple times. Initially the
characters Kate encounters weren’t council members at all – I changed that very,
very quickly though. By the second draft, I had a place for each of the Olympians,
and I did some heavy rewriting to replace my first draft characters with the gods. I
wanted to find a way to keep their names the same, but since they’re supposed to
live among us in secret in the modern world, it didn’t really make sense. How many
men named Zeus do you know, or women called Aphrodite? On top of that, keeping
the council’s identities secret was incredibly important to the plot. So eventually I
decided they would have changed their names when Western civilization stopped
worshipping them as gods, allowing them to live freely among us.
I did choose each name for what it means, some more than others – Walter, for
instance, means “army leader”, while James means “supplanter”. The exception is
Calliope, which in the story was chosen by her counterpart for its Greek roots. The
reason the gods changed their names – and why Artemis didn’t wind up with the
name Diana – is explained throughout the series, but you get to actually see this
happen in The Goddess Legacy (July 31).
Goddess Interrupted begins with the main character Kate Winters adjusting to
her new life as an immortal.
Given Kate’s innate strength and stubbornness,
was it difficult to switch gears to portray her as a bit more vulnerable and
unsure of herself in her new role as goddess AND wife?
Not so much, to be honest – her progression felt natural to me. While Kate is
very tough in certain ways, she’s extremely vulnerable as well. She’s emotionally
dependent on the people around her (her mother in the first book, Henry in the
second), and that in and of itself carves the path she takes in the sequel. She’s spent
six months with Henry, falling in love with him and forming a relationship she
thinks is going to last for eternity. But Henry is battling his own demons and isn’t
ready to be the person she needs him to be, and because Kate is so stubborn, she has
a hard time coming to terms with that. In the sequel, Kate really is her own worst
enemy emotionally – her entire world has changed, after all, and that’s a lot for
anyone to take – but it’s all part of her development into a goddess and queen.
Kate finds herself trying to work through her rather complicated relationship
with James, as well as her relationship with her new husband, Henry (Hades).
Neither seems to be black and white, but rather varying shades of gray.
Were
any of Kate’s feelings or situations based on any relationship struggles you’ve
been through?
Not personally, no, but I did try to make Kate’s relationships with the people in
her life as realistic as possible. She isn’t perfect, and neither are they, and that’s
something they all have to work through at varying points in the series. None of the
relationships in the books are based off of specific experiences I’ve been through
though.
What is your favorite part of the writing process? Least favorite?
Outlining is by far my favorite part of the process. I love the idea stage, where
anything’s possible, and it’s such a shiny place. All of that comes crashing down
when I write the first draft though, which is the hardest part for me. I tend to
get mentally exhausted about two thirds to three quarters of the way into the
manuscript, and it’s always a struggle for me to push through it, especially if I’m on
a deadline. And inevitably there are a ton of problems I didn’t notice in the outline
stage that have to be fixed for the story to work. I’m a perfectionist, so in order for
me to continue writing the story, everything I’ve already written has to make sense.
Do you have a favorite quote or line from a poem or book?
I love so many quotes that I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite.
How did you get your first publishing deal and how did that feel?
My agent, Rosemary Stimola, sent the manuscript out to various publishers, and
after a long submission process, Harlequin TEEN offered to publish it! I was stunned
at first, but that quickly gave way to giddiness. It was an incredible feeling to know
I’d be published, and to this day, I still can’t quite believe it.
When is the next book in the series due out? Any hints on what will happen in
book 3?
Goddess Interrupted, the sequel to The Goddess Test, came out in late March. The
next book in the series, The Goddess Legacy, will be out July 31. It’s a collection of
five novellas told in the perspectives of Calliope, Ava, Persephone, James, and Henry,
and together they form one story.
The third book in the series, The Goddess Inheritance, is currently scheduled to
be released in March 2013. Unfortunately I can’t say too much about it, but the
challenges that Kate will face are pretty clear by the end of the sequel!
After the huge success of The Goddess Test, Goddess Interrupted is on many,
many TBR lists for this summer. What’s on your TBR list?
I’m so excited for a slew of books coming out – The Girl in the Clockwork Collar,
Grave Mercy, The Selection, The Serpent’s Shadow, Philippa Gregory’s YA novel,
and a ton of others. I never have as much time to read as I want, but I’m definitely
making time for all of those and more!
Yearbook Superlatives! If you went to high school with the Greek gods and
goddesses, who would you vote for?
• Most likely to succeed? - Hera
• Class clown? - Hermes
• Nicest? – Demeter or Hephaestus
• Best dressed? - Aphrodite
• Best dancer? - Apollo
• Most school spirit? - Iris
• Most likely to attend summer school? - Ares
•Teachers pet? - Athena
Giveaway! WINNER: D.MLAH86!
One lucky US/Can reader will win a copy of GODDESS INTERRUPTED.
In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the
human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and
suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans:
their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their
blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to
survive.
Unregistered humans cling to fringes, scavenging for survival.
Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by
vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires
feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of
rabids, saved by an unlikely hero...and turned vampire.
Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew
of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism.
She's passing for human...for now. But the hunger is growing and will
not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.
Q&A with
New York Times Best Selling Author
Julie Kagawa!
After writing the Iron Fey series for so many years, how difficult was it to immerse yourself in a futuristic world filled with vampires, rabids and an enslaved human race?
It was...very different. I think the hardest thing for me was the fact that this story does take place in the real world -- a futuristic, vampire-infested world, but the real world nonetheless. Things had to make sense, for example: how far can a large group walk in a single day if there were no roads, they were going through thick woods, and there were children in the group? I had to have logical reasons for everything; I couldn't just make something work "because of faery magic," lol.
Just like Meghan Chase in the Iron Fey series, the main character in The Immortal Rules, Allison Sekemoto, is a “take charge and kick butt” kind of girl. Is this intentional? What woman – real or fictional, alive or deceased – do you look up to or admire?
Yes, Allison comes from a very different world than Meghan Chase. Meghan's upbringing was pretty normal; Allison grew up among vampires and monsters, where every day was a fight to live, so she couldn't afford to be weak. While Meghan had to learn to "take charge and kick butt," Allison's first impulse is stab first, talk later.
As for female role models, the first that comes to mind--when it comes to kicking vampire butt, anyway -- is Buffy Summers. Thank you, Joss Whedon, for making me love feisty, snarky, heroines who can dust all sorts of nasties but who also look good in a cheerleading outfit. ;)
You mention in your acknowledgements in The Immortal Rules that at the beginning of your writing career you promised yourself you wouldn’t write a vampire book. What changed your mind?
Well, there were already so many really good books about our favorite bloodsuckers, so many stories and ideas, I thought I didn't have anything new to add to the masses. I was actually toying with a post-apocalyptic YA novel when my agent mentioned I might want to try writing a vampire series. I wasn't intrigued with the idea at first, but then I thought about combining vampires with the post-apocalyptic novel and then rest sort of fell into place.
Allison claims she hates vampires and believes they are monsters yet when faced with a choice of die or become one, she becomes a vampire. Would you have made that same decision?
Me personally? No. I'm like Zeke in the belief that there is something better waiting for me beyond this life, and I just have to do my best until it’s time for me to go. Besides, I love pizza and Mountain Dew too much to give it up.
Who do you think the most complex character is in The Immortal Rules?
Probably Kanin, Allie's sire. He's a vampire who has made his peace about being a monster, yet chooses to live by his own set of moral rules. He warns Allison about getting too close to humans, yet he does not kill unless he absolutely has to. He is tormented about something in his past that he refuses to share with anyone. He is certainly the most mysterious of all the characters, if not the most complex.
How many books will be in the Blood of Eden series? When will the next book be coming out?
At the moment, there are three books planned, with the second coming out sometime next spring, after the release of the new Iron Fey series this fall.
Before you starting writing full time you were a professional dog trainer. Do the professions share any similarities?
Lol, well you have to think on your feet a lot. And some of the small dogs could be compared to tiny snapping goblins, but writing requires less dodging skills, though perhaps the same amount of creativity and problem solving.
When starting a new series, like Blood of Eden, do you have the entire series mapped out in detail or do you let the story develop book by book?
I have a high point that I write toward in each story; I know this and this has to happen, but getting from point A to point B usually develops as I go along.
And for the speed round:
What book have you read and re-read, and read yet again?
Any of the Harry Potter books.
Favorite song to play when writing a fight scene?
My "favorites" change daily. Right now its "Awake and Alive" by Skillet.
Worst job?
Working a kiosk in the mall during Christmas. It sold glass figurines, and the maneuvering space around the hundreds of very breakable merchandise was quite small. I was like a bull in a china shop.
Best vacation spot?
Walt Disney World
Sweets or salty?
Sweet.
One thing most people don’t know about you – and would never guess!
I used to play the flute when I was a kid. I was really good at it too, but my instructor stopped teaching to have a family, and I never went back to it.
Five years ago, Abbey
Chandler cheated Death. She survived a horrific car accident, but her
"lucky" break came at the expense of her mother's life and changed
everything. After she crossed paths with Death—by taking the hand of an
ethereal boy made of clouds and sky—she would never be normal again.
Now
she's the target of Death's ravens and an innocent boy's life is on the
line. When Nate Holden—Abbey's secret crush—starts to climb Alaska's
Denali, the Angel of Death stalks him because of her.
And Abbey finds out the hard way that Death never forgets.
About Jordan Dane:
Ripped from the headlines, Jordan's gritty plots weave a tapestry of
vivid settings, intrigue, and dark humor. She loves challenging a
reader's moral barometer with the borderline ethics of her characters
and their flawed personalities—dark, angst-ridden antiheroes pitted
against unforgettable villains. Publishers Weekly compared her intense
pacing to Lisa Jackson, Lisa Gardner, and Tami Hoag—"romantic suspense
that crosses over into plain thriller country with tight plotting and
exceptional male characters, both bad guys and good."
Jordan and her husband share their residence with two cats of
highborn lineage and the spirit of an intelligent canine who is
impossible to forget.
My Interview with:
JORDAN DANE!
Welcome to Rex Robot Reviews- We are excited to have you here! Can you tell us the inspiration behind ON A DARK WING?
ON A DARK WING unfolds from many layers of inspiration. The writer’s brain is a strange place. The main inspiration, however, isn’t easily identified. An aspect of the book was inspired by the paradox of Schrödinger's cat, a thought experiment dealing with quantum mechanics. (Yes, quantum mechanics inspired my YA book. Don’t worry. Your head won’t vaporize.) Here’s a quick explanation. (Note: felines were not harmed in the writing of my novel.)
In theory, if a cat is locked away in a sealed steel box and exposed to radiation—and no one actually sees what happened inside that box—can the cat be alive and dead at the same time? You can choose to believe the cat is still alive, but once you open that box, you’ll know what happened one way or the other. I get a brain cramp just thinking about this. (Yes, I’ve overdosed on the Science channel—and no, a litter box is not required to read my book.)
The heroine, Abbey Chandler, comes face to face with Death for a second time in her short life and Death has never forgotten her. She’s pulled into a race to save an innocent boy’s life (her secret crush) before anyone finds him dead on an Alaskan mountain battered by a treacherous storm. As long as no one finds him, is Nate Holden alive or dead? Can Abbey save his soul before rescuers witness the fate of his body? Read the book or ask a cat. Apparently, they know everything.
Does ON A DARK WING have a sound track? If so, can you give us a few songs from it?
Two songs played a part in the writing of ON A DARK WING.
“Not meant to be” by Theory of a Deadman (Inspiration Lyrics)
Excerpt from ON A DARK WING: “When one of my favorite Sara Bareilles’ songs came on my iPod—“Gravity”—it reminded me of Nate. Listening to her sing about wanting to drown in love and being fragile always made me cry. I imagined Nate looking at me, really seeing me.”
Can you describe Abbey Chandler in 140 characters?
139, so close!
Abbey has an open heart. Her capacity for love seems eternal. She is very brave and a good kisser. She’s like one of the guys, easy to be around and can make anyone laugh.
If you could choose any character from another novel, who would you choose to hang out with, Abbey?
Excellent question. I’d love to see her have a conversation with Odd Thomas, Dean Koontz series character. The dude is seriously cool. Not for a love interest for her. She already has Tanner, but Odd would be a good quirky fit for both her and Tanner. He’s one of my favorite characters of all times. If you’re not familiar with him, he’s best described as a 21-yr old short order cook who lives in a small desert town (Pico Mundo—meaning “small world” in Spanish) in CA. He sees dead people and hangs out with Elvis and Frank Sinatra and sometimes monks and his dead girlfriend. Hell, I’d like to hang with him.
Thanks for stopping by! Any other releases or works in progress you're excited about?
I sold a new series to Harlequin Teen – my series called THE HUNTED – and I’m writing book #1 now—INDIGO AWAKENING. Here’s a sneak peek just for you,
Conspiracy theorists have linked the CIA, the UN, and the Pentagon to the phenomenon known as “Indigo or Crystal Children,” a concept heavily queried on the Internet with thousands of websites and resources to research the topic. Query “Crystal Child” online and you will get 166,000,000+ hits. Indigo kids have been featured on mainstream TV (including CNN’s Anderson Cooper in 2007) and in dozens of newspapers and movies.
Indigo kids are generally described as highly intelligent, gifted teen psychics with a bright ‘indigo’ aura and a mission to save the world. They have high IQs, have been known to see angels and commune with the dead. And because they are frequently misunderstood, they are diagnosed by therapists and doctors as having attention deficit or behavioral disorders and are often medicated.
Are Indigo children real or are they manipulated by adults to believe their sensitivities are special? Are they dysfunctional misfits or saviors who must be respected as the next evolution of mankind?
Earlier versions of Indigo kids pave the way and protect the next evolution and are called “Indigo Warriors” or human angels. Their angry temperament separates them from the evolving Crystal Child, making their combative nature suitable to protect the next generation.
Willa's secret plan seems all too simple. Take from the rich kids at valley prep and give to the poor ones.
Yet Willa's turn as Robin Hood at her new high school is anything but.
Bilking her "friends"—known to everyone as the Glitterati—without them
suspecting a thing is far from easy. Learning how to break into lockers
and Beemers is as hard as she'd thought it would be. Delivering care
packages to the scholarship girls, who are bullied just for being
different, is more fun than she'd expected.
The complication
Willa didn't expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, VP's most notorious
ace-degenerate. His mere existence is distracting Willa from what
matters most to her—evening the social playing field between the haves
and have-nots. There's no time for flirting, especially with conceited
trust-funders like Aidan. But when the cops start investigating the
string of thefts at Valley Prep and the Glitterati begin to seek
revenge, could Aidan wind up being the person that Willa trusts most?
Elisa Ludwig's Pretty Crooked is the first book in an adventurous teen caper series filled with mystery, humor, and heart.
Character Word Associations: Willa!
Willa, the awesome main character from PRETTY CROOKED, has agreed to play Word Association with us! She'll tell us the first thing that comes to her mind after hearing the word/phrase we choose. Now, let's get to know Willa a little better!
True Love
Happens when you are half-expecting it but pretend not
to be!
Chaos
Um, my closet?
Happiness
Is a long bicycle ride.
Fantasy
Hamburger
Awesomesauce
Is what I'd like on my fantasy burger.
Love Triangles
Happen.
Weird
My thought process, apparently
Electronic
Is better than analog
Social Networking
Should be used for good, not evil.
Green
Not much of that around here in my Arizona hometown.
Thanks for having Willa and
me, Julia!
Check out PRETTY CROOKED on Amazon! Release Date: March 13, 2012 Pre-Order today!
Dead of Nightby Jonathan Maberry Genre: Horror, Zombies Release: October 25, 2011 Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin ISBN-10: 031255219X ISBN-13: 978-0312552190 BUY THE BOOK:Amazon
Book Summary:
A prison doctor injects a
condemned serial killer with a formula designed to keep his
consciousness awake while his body rots in the grave. But all drugs
have unforeseen side-effects. Before he could be buried, the killer
wakes up. Hungry. Infected. Contagious. This is the way the world
ends. Not with a bang…but a bite.
My Interview with Jonathan Maberry!
Welcome to Rex Robot Reviews, Jonathan! Can you tell us a little bit about the inspiration behind Dez Fox and JT?
There are a lot of reasons to write a novel. Some authors groove on the action; some are devotees of a particular genre and each book is another bite; others are attracted by the potential to mold and shape language. With me it always starts with characters. I can’t write a story unless the characters are real people to me. Like most novelists I’m a professional observer of people. I love watching how people interact, listening to how they talk. Often a character comes to life inside my head when the right elements have been cooking long enough. That happened with Dez Fox and her partner, JT.
Dez and JT are friends and partners (as cops in the small town of Stebbins, Pennsylvania), but their relationship is deeper and more complex than that. I most ways, JT is a father figure for Dez. Her own father died during the first Gulf War, so she latches onto JT. He’s a rock. He’s the icon of stability in her life –and her life is a damn mess. She rarely follows his advice, but she needs him to be there and for him to give that advice. JT is also the most experienced cop in town, and his skill, calm approach, and professionalism keep her steady.
At the same time, JT’s range of experience only extends to small town law enforcement whereas Dez has served in Afghanistan, where she saw combat. The dynamic of their relationship shifts when things turn violent and she takes the lead role. I found it fascinating to explore this dynamic –and I interviewed police officers around the country to get insight into how it all plays out. I get a lot of very positive mail from cops who say that the Dez/JT patrol dynamic is right on the money. A lot of people tell me they know teams just like them.
If DEAD OF NIGHT had a soundtrack, what songs would you put on it?
Untraceable by S.R. Johannes Publisher: Colemon & Stott Release: November 23, 2011
Buy the Book:Amazon
About Untraceable:
16 year old Grace has
lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger
father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival.
When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to
believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and
nature to find him.
One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by
Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings
between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into
the wilderness to escape and find her father.
Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever
relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy,
deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass
and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save
everything she loves.
About the Author:
Shelli traded in her
expensive suits, high heels, and corporate lingo for a family,
flip-flops, and her love of writing. She started her own marketing &
communications business, www.bilaninc.com, where she worked with Spanx,
Goody Hair Products, Chick Filet, and the Boys & Girls Club of
America.
In addition to juggling nap schedules and client meetings, Shelli
focuses on her writing. She is a frequent speaker on marketing and book
publicity at SCBWI conferences across the U.S, and runs a popular book
marketing blog, Market My Words (www.faeriality.blogspot.com).
Author This or That List
Italian Ice or Ice Cream?
I can be very specific, I will say Magnum gourmet ice cream are made with vanilla
bean or chocolate ice cream dipped in thick Belgian chocolate. YUMMY!
Fall or Spring?
Fall. I
love the crisp weather. Wearing sweaters and Uggs (though I wear those all year
round.) And I love to cuddle. To drink
chai lattes or coffee (doused with white chocolate raspberry flavored cream –
again too specific?)
Paperback or Ebook?
I
love the feel of a book in my hands. I do read ebooks sometimes. Mostly Indie
books or if I am beta reading or getting to read a book that isn’t out yet
(Cough – Body Finder – Last echo! Ha!)
Beach or Lake?
Definitely beach. I don’t like stagnant water. It freaks me out. I also don’t
like that space in a lake where you jump in and it’s very cold. * Shivers.* I love the smell of salt water and my hair
always looks god at the beach b/c it is not humid
Green or Red?
I say Green.
It looks better with my eyes (which are greenish blue). Call me vain. I do love
what it represents – calm, cool, alive.
Urban Fantasy or Romance?
Hm this is hard. I don’t fall in a certain genre. It really depends on the
book. I think every teen book need a little romance. It would be unrealistic
not to have any hormones flying. But I don’t love all urban fantasy.
Morning or Night?
I am
NOT a morning person. I repeat, I am NOT a morning person. I do my best work at
night when it is quiet. I love to sleep too so my answer is NIGHT.
Fish or Hamsters?
Can I
just say dogs? I love my dog. But I do have some beta fish and they are sweet.
They always come up to the glass when I come in the room. I had a hamster once
and it was a traumatic experience. Let’s just say it ate plastic and I had to
put it down. It was awful.
Ketchup or Mustard?
Man
I am difficult. I like to mix Ketchup and Mayo. Hey if you say it is gross, I
will just say it’s very Parisian so I look cool. That’s actually where I
started using it first and I haven’t stopped since. But let’s be clear,
Thousand Island dressing is NOT the same thing!
Comedy or Horror?
I am not
a big horror person. I get scared easily and hate having bad dreams. I am a
writer with an overactive imagination so that spooky stuff freaks me out. I
love to laugh. You know that deep belly laugh where you think you might pee I
your pants and you can’t breathe? Love that. Well, not the peeing part, the
laughing part.
iPad or Kindle Fire?
I
love my iPad And Steve Jobs.
Batman or Wolverine?
Since hairy chests have never done it for me. I’ll go with batman. Though
living in a cave does not sound appealing. Unless it’s the cave that Christian
Bale had in Dark Knight. Then I’d be fine.
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